Which of the following best describes a difference between a halo error and a horns error in attribution?

• A. A halo error occurs when a positive impression of a person leads to positive evaluations of unrelated traits, while a horns error occurs when a negative impression leads to negative evaluations of unrelated traits.
• B. A halo error involves attributing success to external causes, while a horns error involves attributing failure to internal causes.
• C. A halo error is based on situational factors, whereas a horns error is based on dispositional factors.
• D. A halo error is only observed in group settings, while a horns error is only observed in individual assessments.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that both halo error and horns error are types of attribution biases where an overall impression influences the evaluation of unrelated traits.
2. Recognize that a halo error occurs when a positive overall impression of a person causes you to evaluate their other unrelated traits positively, even if those traits are not actually related.
3. Recognize that a horns error is the opposite: a negative overall impression leads to negative evaluations of unrelated traits.
4. Distinguish these errors from other attribution concepts such as internal vs. external causes or situational vs. dispositional factors, which are different attributional dimensions.
5. Conclude that the key difference lies in the direction of the bias: halo error is a positive bias affecting unrelated traits, while horns error is a negative bias affecting unrelated traits.